Those of us who are water babies, or compete professionally in swimming, know the thrill that comes with that first splash into the water. But we also know what our skin feels like when we come out of the water. Not a very great feeling that one… pruny fingers, rashes, sunburns, dry skin et al. The chemicals in pool water (mainly chlorine), along with the direct sun, add to the woes of the skin while swimming. Therefore we have curated a swimmer’s guide to skincare here for you.

1. Shower

It is very very important to shower before you jump into the pool. Most public pools do not allow you to enter the water without a shower, be it outside on the stands or in their locker rooms. This is done to maintain the cleanliness, hygiene and sanitation of the pool. But from a skincare perspective, you must shower to maintain your skin’s hydration. When you have wetted your skin under tap water, it absorbs lesser chlorinated water, thus keeping it from drying excessively.

2. Moisturise

Add some more hydration to your showered skin, and moisturise it well before going into the pool. This step is critical and is the difference between normal skin and glowing skin. People who use a good moisturiser before swimming have far better and more supple skin than people who don’t. Because moisturiser forms a protective coating over your skin’s surface, preventing more damage from chlorine and other chemicals.

3. Sunscreen

The last protective layer on your skin must always be sunscreen, especially for swimmers. It doesn’t matter if you are swimming under the noon sun or in the evening, you must apply sunscreen with high SPF before getting into the pool. Most people only swim during summer, when the sun is anyway high and mighty, therefore this step becomes even more important. The SPF formula protects your skin from the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays and prevents skin damage like sunburn, tanning, dark spots and even early aging. The best sunscreen for swimming is a waterproof formula, that is best applied at least 20 minutes before you go swimming.

4. Hydrate

Hydrate your body before swimming, and we don’t mean shower. We mean drinking a healthy amount of water. You are going to indulge in physical activity and burn calories, as well as get under the sun that may dehydrate you. So either take a health drink or a tall glass of water before diving into the pool. This indirectly helps your skin too as the water helps purify your skin by ridding it of toxins.

5. Cleanse

Cleansing is a post-swimming skincare step. Once you have had your fill of the water, the first thing you must do is grab a warm shower. Don’t let the chlorinated water dry on your skin or remain to cling to it very long. Use a thorough body wash to wash away all the chemicals from your skin and open pores, and even exfoliate if there are exfoliating beads in your body wash. Rinse with a barrage of cold water to close all pores, and then go for a gentle cleanser for your face. This makes sure that your facial skin is completely rinsed off any toxic chlorine, bacteria or dirt from the pool.

6. Moisturise Again

Once showered and towel-dried, seal all the cleanliness with a rich, hydrating moisturiser on the face. Of course, follow your skin type and go for a lightweight one if you have oily or acne-prone skin. For the rest of your body, you can use a hydrating lotion so that your skin’s suppleness is not compromised. This will also refresh you and give you a second wind to go through the rest of your day.

7. Permanent Makeup

This step is not exactly for skincare, but it does help if you are a makeup aficionado and have always wanted to enjoy your pool laps looking a million bucks. Especially on summer vacays when Instagram photos with bikinis and sangrias are all the rage. Here comes permanent makeup, a technique where you can get microblading to make your eyebrows look thick and perfect, or get that beautiful eyeliner or pouty lip color without using any conventional makeup. These are achieved by depositing a surgically safe pigment in the upper layers of your skin using very tiny needles, resembling a tattoo but looking natural. What’s more, is, this is not permanent. It fades away over time (2-3 years). And you look amazing even when swimming laps or lounging on a noodle.

To find out more about permanent makeup, visit Savarnas Beauty Spa’s website. And if you wish to book an appointment for any of these, then feel free to contact us! At Savarnas Beauty Spa we offer a wide range of permanent makeup services, from permanent eyelash extensions to microblading for eyebrows, from permanent lip color to permanent eyeliner. All are waterproof! All perfect for swimmers like you!